Sponge mop with remote compressing mechanism



y 6 G. D'ALINE 3,031,706

SPONGE MOP WITH REMOTE COMPRESSING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 17, 1959 INVENTOR.

GORDON DALIN E alw HTTORN E Y V in vertical section.

United States Patent 3,031,706 SPONGE MOP WITH REMOTE COMPRESSING MECHANISM Gordon Daline, Christmas Lake, Excelsior, Minn. (1323 Bridgeview, Tacoma, Wash.) Filed Aug. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 834,075 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-119) This invention relates to a mop construction of the type having a mop head compressing mechanism remotely controlled by manipulation of a lever pivoted upon the mop handle.

It is an object of this invention to provide a mop of highly eflicient and inexpensive construction in which the mopping head is compressed to squeeze liquid therefrom between a pair of remotely controlled mop compressing members.

It is also an object to provide such a mop in which a pair of compression members are adapted to be pulled together to squeeze liquid from the mopping head by a pair of elongated cables which are pulled through a guide at the center of the head by pivotal manipulation of a compressing lever disposed on the mop handle.

It is a further object to provide such a mop having a sponge mopping head with four mopping surfaces which may alternately be positioned for mopping contact with the surface to be mopped.

It is an additional object to provide such a mop in which the sponge mopping head may be compressed to remove liquid therefrom by moving the ends thereof toward the center thereof.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mop embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top View showing the compressed mop head in longitudinal cross section and showing the mop handle partially broken away and rotated to one side;

FIG. 3 is a top View of the mop supporting structure showing the mop head in longitudinal cross section;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the mop showing the tying members in broken lines; and

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the mop supporting structure with the mop and handle removed therefrom with portions of the structure broken away to show In the form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing, a mop handle is secured at the lower end thereof to a sleeve 12, the handle thus being connected to the mop supporting structure. The lower end 14 of the sleeve 12 is extended beyond the lower end of the handle 10 and is turned downwardly therefrom into a position generally normal to the mopping surface.

A mop frame member having a pair of laterally extending portions 22 is attached to thelower end 14 of the sleeve 12 at the center thereof, and below the lower end of the mop handle 10. A pair of frame ends 24 are attached to the outer ends of the lateral frame portions 22. A pair of circular openings 26 are provided respectively through opposed portions of the frame ends 24 in spaced apart relation to the lateral portions 22.

A mop or mopping head carrier, which in the form shown is a hollow cylindrical shaft 30 having threaded end portions 32-32 is positioned with portions of the threaded ends extending respectively through each of the openings 26 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A pair of nuts 34-34 are threadably screwed on to each of the end portions 32 of the shaft 30 protruding beyond the frame end portions 24. A pair of mopping head squeezing members 40-40 are slidably mounted upon the mop head carrier 30 inwardly of the frame ends 24. A spreading member, which in the form shown consists of a compressible coil spring 50, encircles the mop head carrier 30 and normally urges the mop compressing members 40 into abutment respectively with each of the frame ends 24.

A pair of flexible elongated tying members or cables 60 are respectively attached at the lower ends thereof to each of the mop compressing members 40. Each of the cables 60 is extended toward the central portion of the mop head carrier 30 from the compressing members 40 within the confines of the coil spring 50. At the generally central portion of the mop head carrier 30, a cable guide is provided through which the respective cables are guided in slidable relationship outwardly through the coil spring 50 in the direction of the mop handle 10. In the form of the invention shown, the guide is formed by providing a pair of spaced apart radial openings 62- 62 in one side of the mop head carrying shaft 30 and a third radial opening 64 provided through the central portion of the shaft 30 in alignment with the openings 62. Each of the cables 60 is extended respectively downwardly through one of the openings 62 into the hollow interior of the shaft 30 and both of the cables 60 are passed outwardly from the interior of the shaft 30 through the central opening 64. When upward pulling force is exerted upon the cables from the exterior of the shaft 30, the mop compressing members 40 are respectively moved upon the mop head carrier 30 toward the center thereof and the coil spring 50 is compressed therebetween.

A mop head 70 consisting in a pair of mop head ele- 'ments 70a and 70b which in the form shown are comhead carrier 30 through central or axial openings provided longitudinally therethrough. The cables 60 pass upwardly between the inner ends of the two mop head elements 70a and 7%. A cable receiving opening is provided through the vertical portion of the sleeve 12 in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the mop handle 10. In the form of the invention shown, the mop handle 10 has a cylindrical cable receiving opening extending longitudinally therethrough. The cables 60 extend upwardly from the opening 64 at'the mop carrying shaft 30 through the opening 13- in the lower portion of the sleeve member 12 and extend upwardly through the hollow center of the mop handle 10.

At an intermediate portion of the mop handle 10 a mop squeezing lever or handle is pivotally mounted at an intermediate portion 82 thereof. The squeezing lever 80 is pivoted for limited rotation in a. plane through a longitudinal axis of the mop handle 10, and the inner end 84 of the lever 80 extends through an opening provided through the mop handle 10 adjacent to the pivotal portion 82. The inner end 84 of the lever 80 which is positioned within the hollow center of the mop handle 10 the lever 80 and pulling the cables 60 upwardly within the mop handle 10. The cables 60 being respectively attached to each of the compressing members 40 draws said members toward the center of the mop carrying head 30 to squeeze the coil spring 50 and the mop head 70 therebetween. When compressing pressure is released from the mop compressing handle 80 the mop head is returned to normal mop operating condition by the coil spring 50 which urges the compressing members 40 back into abutment with respective end portions of the frame ends 24.

The mop head 70 is rotatable upon the mop head carrier 30 when lateral pressure is released from respective ends thereof by threadable loosening of the nuts 34 at the ends of the head carrier 30. Thus the head 70 may be rotated to alterately position each of the four sides thereof for useas a mopping surface.

The mop head carrier 30 is removed from the mop frame 20 by threadably removing the nuts 34 to permit removal of the sponge mop head 70 for cleaning and replacement.

it will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of this invention, which generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mop comprising a handle, a frame member secured to the lower portion of said handle, said frame member comprising lateral portions extending outwardly from said handle in opposite directions, the outer ends of said laterally extending'portions being disposed in spaced apart generally parallel relationship, a mop head supporting unit located between and carried by said parallel outer ends of said frame member, an elongated compressible mop head including a pair of mop head ele- -ments disposed in end-to-end relation and mounted on said supporting unit along an. axial opening therethrough, a pair of mop head compressing members slidably mount- ,ed on said supporting unit and being respectively disposed at opposite ends of said mop head, said compressing members being axially movable to compress said mop head therebetween, a pair of elongated flexible cables having the lower ends thereof respectively attached to said compressing members, guide means disposed centrally of said head supporting unit, each of said cables extending laterally of the compressing members in sliding engagement with said guide means and extending outwardly therefrom between said mop head elements, and actuating means attached to the upper ends of said cables and being adapted to exert pulling tension on said cables to move said compressing members inwardly and thereby compress said mop head, and resilient spreading means normally urging said compressing members outwardly.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, and said actuating means comprising a lever mounted for pivotal movement on said handle, the upper end portions of said cables being attached to said lever in spaced relation to the mounting pivot thereof, said actuating lever being normally maintained in one position by the force exerted by the resilient spreading means on said cables but being swingable into compressing position by application of force against said spreading means to compress said mop head elements.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

